Pick Up Spilt Milk
by CrystallinePurpleLion
Summary: The end of episode 32 left the world the same as always; or is it the same? Pointless little one-shot, that has absolutely NO relation to milk. R&R!


**Disclaimer: I do not claim to be the owner of Ben 10. Do I look like 4/5 guys to you? Yeah, I am not Man of Action either so BACK OFF, lawsuits!**

**Warning: Mild spoilers for Ep. 32.**

**Summary: After defeating Vilgax in episode 32, Ben made everyone the same as before. But is everything really the same?**

**Not worth your time, probably, but since I watched 32 two weeks ago, this baka plot bunny just **_**wouldn't leave me alone!**_** Just a pointless one-shot which was written in one day due to fear of my head bursting because of it, heh!**

_Pick Up Spilt Milk_

Staring out of the window, one could see that life was beginning to go on; people going about in their jobs, children demanding candy, traffic jam… However, nobody could quite dispel the feeling of having forgotten something- something important. Something that concerned everyone; and yet, they could do nothing about it.

The three teens were silent as they headed for Mr Smoothy's, for once that year not in two, but one vehicle. Kevin was driving his Camaro without a care in the world as they were going to relieve the stress of the last fight with a smoothie. Having dropped Julie off at the house, it felt so much like the old days, when they would simply sit by the car with a cup in hand, not worrying about Ben being recognised and, subsequently, attacked by fangirls or haters. They could almost believe that none of this had ever happened.

But there were always the signs – they could be anything from a commercial with aliens, a headline about Will Harangue's next (or previous) attack on Ben, people in his green jacket, or just the looks betraying recognition that were thrown at his or Kevin's car.

Parking at their usual spot, the trio got out of the car. There were a few looks at the newcomers, but nothing else. As they went to get their drinks, Gwen started glancing around, a wary look on her face.

Something was wrong.

"Gwen?" inquired the black-haired ex-con.

"It's nothing. I just feel… like something should be different."

"What should?" Ben asked, a little too quickly. That, of course, immediately placed him in his cousin's scrutinising range. She searched his face for a while, intend on discovering what she'd missed.

"I mean…" she tried to pinpoint the difference, her brilliant mind finally coming up with the answer. Once she had it, she berated herself for not realising quicker. Perfectionists… what can one say? "It's way too quiet."

"What's the problem with this, Gwen? People are probably still shook up from what happened earlier."

For a moment, she was convinced. A quick glance at the menu, however, brought things into focus for her. She pulled the other two with her a little ways away from the counter, not wanting to be overheard.

"You know, I think I understand why I expected it to be noisy." She let the words fall from her lips casually, without sarcasm laced through them. "…We should definitely have been flooded by people by now."

Their friend felt the nagging in the back of his mind leave him, glad that he hadn't picked up on something unimportant. Still, the full implications of this hadn't hit home.

"So? Maybe they don't care anymore." Ben's tone was a little too flippant, too casual to fool her.

"You speak as though we would believe that. Tell me, how long did you think you could keep it secret? Since you didn't bother with _us_, I mean."

"I don't get it."

"Don't you realise, Kevin? He erased everything that had to do with his identity being revealed, including people's memories!" In the irate voice, however, there was no accusation, only disappointment and exasperation, along with a tiny, grudging sort of thankfulness. "Julie?" she then simply inquired. She didn't need to say anything else. What Ben had done could ultimately help keep people safe (and his own ego in check), despite being immoral and selfish; because really, it is of no use crying over spilt milk. She thought she understood his reasoning (and every once in a trillion, one _could_, in fact, be allowed to pick up spilt secrets).

But if he had forced the memories out of Julie, that would be an act of sheer selfishness and desire to erase one's mistakes. One had to correct his mistakes, work hard and dedicate oneself to rebuilding what had crumbled and repairing what had been eaten away. There was to be no excuse for him, none at all, if he had… She would find a way to correct it no matter what, she vowed.

"Not Julie," he replied, voice low and tired, relieving her fears. "And I forgot to warn her, so she probably burst into the house talking about me and now I will have to deal with another evaluation. I just hope it's not too much like the first one," he sighed, tone depressed. "Jimmy too, since I thought he would only figure it out again. I just need to text… him…" he trailed off, suddenly frantic, searching for his mobile with a sense of impending doom. It went away as soon as the text message had been sent, and Ben let out a sigh of relief.

With the conversation, they had unknowingly made it back to the car, all three surprised to see it before them.

"So…" Ben started. His cousin and the Osmosian stared at him expectantly. "…smoothies?"

"You mean, without mobs?" asked Gwen giddily, disbelief weighing on her tone.

"Without fangirls trying to break into my car or haters trying to _break_ it?" asked Kevin in a similar fashion.

"Yep, yep and yep," the hero popped the 'p' all three times.

Mr Smoothy's regular (or fanatic) customers knew the trio and all the different moods they were in when they came. They knew them exhausted, prideful, embittered and urgent; they knew the trio's abrupt departures, as well as the unusual number of times the area had been trashed and the close bond between them. They knew the brown-haired one preferred crazy flavours and that the redhead was the most level-headed of the three. They knew the black-haired one had an affinity for illegality and high speeds. They knew the first two were related and could see the romance between the latter ones.

But, all in all, they had _never_ seen the three running to the counter, seeming adrenaline-injected, while screaming and laughing like three-year-olds on a sugar rush.

_The End_

**I'm pretty sure at the beginning of 'Andreas' Fault' it had something like alien themed smoothies, hence the menu reference, but I never really paid attention to it because of that horrible attitude Ben had. Similarly, I never knew what that part of him was shouting during Julie's match at the start of 'Duped'. Review away, and constructive criticism is much appreciated. Thanks for reading!**


End file.
